EE411 PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEW Expectations

1. EE411 PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEW Expectations Assoc. Prof. Firebaugh September 22, 2011

2. What is the purpose? • To “sell” your project concept – you need to convince your audience that.. • Your project addresses a need or want. • You understand the problem. • You’ve considered all reasonable solutions. • You’ve chosen the best solution for the available time and resources.

3. PDR Content • Needs & objectives • Background • Marketing specifications/requirements • Engineering requirements • Design space overview • Evaluation of design alternatives • Proposed architecture for project moving forward

4. Format & Powerpoint Tips • Use 18 point font or greater. • Use landscape mode not portrait. • Use color and fancy graphics sparingly. • Do not use PowerPoint "CPU Wasters” like spiraling text or frivolous visuals. • 10 bullet items per page maximum. • Be careful of the colorsyou use. • Check speling and Use of Capitalization.

5. Avoid Death by Powerpoint • One main point per slide. • Stick to schedule– no more than 15 minutes. • Make the presentation visually attractive. • Use figures when you can (if they tell a story) • Use other visual aids if applicable. • Look at your audience, not at the screen. • Be animated. Move around the room. Project energy. • Practice practicepractice. • Example?

6. The Visual Aid: Enhancing the mobility of the visually impaired**Modified from a design project case study in Design for Electrical and Computer Engineering, by Ford and Coulston, McGraw-Hill Higher Education; Boston, MA; 2008. H. Lamarr, A. Turing, J. Maxwell October 26, 2010

7. Need & Objective Need: Current mobility resources for visually impaired are limited or too expensive. Objective: To design and implement a system that gives visually impaired people an enhanced awareness of their surroundings, by detecting objects and providing real-time feedback that communicates the size and location of the object.

8. Background • Only 1% of blind are able to use guide dogs.1 • Canes miss objects like tree branches or small surface changes like doorsills or cracks. 2 • Options like “LaserCane” cost >$2500. 3 • Needed: ability to detect objects within range of 1 m and width of 2 ft. 2 • Steps or variations in ground level particularly critical.2

9. Marketing Requirements • Accurate • Doesn’t interfere with user functions • Intuitive • Affordable • Impervious to weather • Operates continuously • Safe • Comfortable

10. Device Requirements • The system’s total weight will not exceed 5 lb. • The system will operate on full charge for at least 3 hours. • The system should not exceed $500. • The system should not produce noise exceeding 40 dB. • The system will be built with components that can operate in temperatures ranging from -80ºF to 135ºF. • The system will be water-resistant. • The system will have a single control to turn it on/off. • A prototype system could be built within the next 7 months.

11. Device Requirements, cont. • Uneven surfaces (steps, rocks) with features that are at least +/- 1” high will be detected at a distance of at least 3 ft. away from the user. • The system will detect objects that are at least 1” wide and 2” high, at least 3 ft from the user and no more than 7 ft from the user, in a 2 ft wide area. • When objects are detected, the system should provide sensory feedback that is distinguishable from other sensory signals experienced by the user. • The system should scan the environment and refresh its output at least 6 times per second. • The system should not restrict the user’s mobility.

12. Design Space Exploration

13. Narrowing the Design Space • Some options immediately eliminated: • Incorporating radar too expensive. • Incorporating a Laptop would be too heavy and overkill for processing needs. • Droid not as easily integrated with sensors and actuators as FPGA or microprocessor. • Retinal implant is crazy talk. • Shoe power or solar addition would supplement batteries and could be added later.

14. Design Alternatives • Design 1: The Baton • Contains ultrasonic array, batteries, and PIC microprocessor or FPGA. • Communicates via bluetooth with an ear piece. • Produces a series of beeps at a rate that is proportional to the ultrasonic sensor output. • User localizes objects by sweeping the baton.

15. Design Alternatives • Design 2: The Vest • Contains larger ultrasonic array, and downward-angled infrared laser sensors on front and haptic array of pager vibrating motors on back. • Ultrasonic sensors detect general objects in the user’s path • Lasers detect uneven surfaces. • Vest also contains batteries and microprocessor or FPGA. • Motors vibrate according to orientation of object to the user (high and on the right if the object is off of the users right shoulder, for example), at an amplitude that is inversely proportional to distance.

16. Design Alternatives • Design 3: The Cyclops Eye • Headband with ultrasonic range finder and infrared diode laser directed out from forehead. • Ultrasonic range finder detects that object is in vicinity. • User can use his/her head to better direct the laser beam and localize the object via a reflectance measurement. • Communicates via bluetooth with an ear piece. • Produces a series of beeps at a rate that is proportional to the proximity of the object

17. Design Selection Criteria • Accurate • Doesn’t interfere with user functions • Intuitive • Affordable • Impervious to weather • Operates continuously • Safe • Comfortable Decisive objectives Less important or capable of being incorporated into any design option

18. Design Selection Criteria • Accurate • Accuracy relative to cane • Non-interfering • Level of interference with regular activity

19. Design Selection Criteria • Affordable • Cost of Parts • Intuitive • Training time anticipated

20. Design Selection “Vest” design selected for further development

21. System Architecture Vest DC power Haptic array Power Source DC power Sensory feedback to user U/S and IR Laser Sensors Voltage signal(s) Controller Signal Conditioning External Object Voltage signal(s)

22. Summary • The “Visual Aid” addresses a need in the handicapped community for a better alternative to the cane and seeing-eye dog. • Vest design selected for further development. • Vest should be capable of meeting all design requirements.

23. References 1. The Seeing Eye Inc., “About Us,” http://www.seeingeye.org/AboutUs.asp, accessed 21 Sept 2012. 2. American Foundation for the Blind, “Blindness Statistics,” http://www.afb.org, accessed 21 Sept 2012. 3. Nurion-Raycal, “LaserCane N-200, Electornic Travel Aids,” http://www.nurionraycal.com, accessed 21 Sept 2012.